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It’s a tale as old as time. Man sees electric bike advertisement touting 50-mile range. Man buys e-bike. Man’s first ride gets 25 miles before the battery’s charge dwindles. Man is justifiably disappointed.

So what gives? Why does it seem like you can never trust the range numbers that the electric bike makers tell us?

The short answer is that it seems that way because that’s the way it is. You simply can’t trust the range figure printed on an electric bicycle’s marketing material. At least not most of the time.

There are several good reasons for this, so let’s break them down.

No standard for range testing for e-bikes

First of all, e-bikes aren’t like cars. There aren’t any standards for battery range testing on e-bikes. It’s not like the “EPA-rated 32 mpg” or “NEDC-tested 250 miles of range” you’ll see in car ads.

Range ratings for e-bikes aren’t determined by outside agencies. They are determined by the bike makers themselves. In the best case, the printed distance figures come from real-world range testing. Some companies like Aventon and Lectric eBikes have stepped up with real-world range data on their sites for each level of pedal assist or throttle riding. That’s the best case. But in the worst case, some companies just give us numbers that they pull out of a hat or theorize that their bike can probably achieve.

Which companies are which? Without hard data displayed on the company’s site, it’s hard to know. That’s the problem. Unless a company puts real-world testing data out there, we’re left to guess.

lerctric ebikes xpedition dual battery

Range varies WIDELY based on a number of factors

This is actually the single largest reason that you almost never actually achieve the range quoted by the e-bike manufacturer. There is a huge variance in the real world battery range of an e-bike on a single charge. There are literally dozens of factors that have significant impacts on range.

Even if an e-bike company wanted to give one number as the ultimate, end all and be all, certified range of their e-bike – a number that they are confident you can achieve – they simply wouldn’t be able to do it. It just depends on too many factors.

radRunner passengers
Carrying a passenger (or two)? That’ll ding your range

It’s amazing how many factors can have a measurable impact on e-bike range.

Are your tires low on air or pumped to the max? Are you riding uphill or downhill? Tailwind or headwind? Brake rub? Crouched or sitting up tall? Is the road wet? Did you eat a big lunch? Have you eaten big lunches for the last 30 years? What gear are you in? What power level are you in? Knobby or smooth tires? Are you wearing a backpack or carrying cargo on a rack or basket? Any passengers with you? Are you riding on asphalt? Concrete? Dirt? Gravel? Sand? The list goes on and on.

Depending on the answers to those questions, the exact same electric bike could travel 15 miles or 60 miles on a single battery charge. Yeah, it’s wild.

Many people expect e-bike ranges to be more repeatable, similar to car mileage. But then again, consider that unlike cars, which often outweigh their drivers by 20 to 1, you probably outweigh your bike by 3 or 4 to 1. So changes in you or your environment have a much bigger impact on range than they do for other larger vehicles likes cars and trucks.

All of these factors make it harder for e-bike companies to offer a realistic range, and so they usually test for the best-case scenario. That means a lightweight rider (often listed at 150 lb., even though the average American adult female and male each weigh 170 and 200 lb., respectively) riding on a pancake flat and smooth surface with ultra-high air pressure in the tires and with the bike set into its lowest power mode. It’s not “cheating,” assuming they provide the real test data. It’s just putting their best pedaling foot forward. But in the real world, most of us won’t be riding in the same ideal conditions. So the “maximum” range that most e-bike companies quote simply aren’t realistic for most of us.

aventon level 2 review e-bike

Throttle versus pedal assist range

This is another major factor affecting range. Any Europeans reading this, you poor things can ignore this section since your governments don’t believe you can be trusted with throttles. For the Americans, Canadians, Australians, and civil-disobeying Europeans still here with me, listen up.

The general rule of thumb is that throttle riding will nearly halve your range compared to pedal assist. That’s why most e-bike companies will list their maximum range based on pedal assist. When you see an e-bike listed as having a “50-mile range,” that’s almost certainly the pedal assist range. The throttle range is probably closer to 25-30 miles, depending on conditions. A true 50-mile throttle-only range would usually require having a battery of at least 1,300 Wh, or around twice the size of an average e-bike battery.

Some companies like Rad Power Bikes are pretty good about listing a range of ranges (get it?) instead of a single number. For example, they tell us that the RadRunner 3 Plus’s range is “Estimated 25-45+ miles per charge (40-72+ km)” in the specs section of the product page, though they’re still guilty of the slightly misleading “Up to 45 miles per charge” phrase in larger font on the main page.

How can you know an electric bike’s ‘real’ range?

There’s a messy, overgeneralized rule of thumb that I created to quickly judge approximate bike range. But be warned: It requires a small amount of math. Don’t worry though, you can handle it.

At 20 mph, my messy rule of thumb is 25 Wh/mi for throttle riding and 15 Wh/mi for pedal assist riding. This is for a decently powerful level – we’re not talking Eco Mode or Level 1 pedal assist here. At very low-power pedal assist where the rider does most of the work, it is possible to even achieve closer to 5 Wh/mi.

For anyone who uses a more sensical system of measurement, that means when riding at 32 km/h, you can generally expect somewhere around 15 Wh/km on throttle and 9 Wh/km on pedal assist, though it can drop as low as 3 Wh/km on really low power pedal assist.

So to use my rule of thumb, simply divide the watt-hour capacity (Wh) of the battery by my efficiency numbers and you’ll get the rough range. An e-bike like the RadRunner 3 Plus mentioned above with a 624 Wh battery should get roughly 624 Wh ÷ 25 Wh/mi = 25 miles of range on throttle-only riding. In sensical measurements, that’s 624 Wh ÷ 15 Wh/km = 41 km. That number actually aligns nicely with Rad’s published figures. Go figure.

radrunner 3 plus battery

Like I said though, this is a rough approximation. It can vary based on many factors. If you’re a heavy rider, you might even use slightly higher constants than I mentioned, such as 30 Wh/mi instead of 25 Wh/mi. Other factors like terrain and tire width make a big impact on this guesstimate system as well.

For science, I once took an e-bike with a teeny tiny 180 Wh battery on a long ride at the lowest possible power setting and with significant muscle effort on my part. I got a range of 56 miles (90 km), or close to 3 Wh/mi. It was grueling, but it showed what is possible, and how companies can get away with claiming sky-high ranges that may be possible, even if unlikely.

So sure, my generalized rule of thumb above uses fuzzy numbers. But they aren’t anywhere near as fuzzy as the ratings from most e-bike manufacturers.

rad power bikes battery

In conclusion, I don’t intend to claim that there is malice on the part of most companies that market e-bikes. Their goal isn’t to mislead. They’re just caught in an unfortunate system where people want a short and pretty answer to what is under the surface actually a long and ugly question, “How far does it go on a charge?”

So until people are prepared to receive a table of data in response to that question, companies are basically forced to choose between giving an unimpressive albeit more honest range spectrum like, “It can go 20-45 miles per charge,” or to just give the rosier answer of “It can go 45 miles.” With millions of dollars on the line, you can guess which one they prefer to choose.

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Honda Prologue sales drop 86% in November even with deep discounts

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December 2, 2025

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Honda Prologue sales drop 86% in November even with deep discounts

Honda-Prologue-EV-sales-November

The Honda Prologue was a top-selling EV, thanks in part to discounts that climbed over $20,000 at times. But after losing the $7,500 tax credit, sales of the electric SUV fell 86% in November.

Honda Prologue sales fall in November despite discounts

After launching the Prologue last March, the electric SUV quickly became one of the most popular EVs in the US, thanks to its competitive range, affordable price, and Honda’s trusted name.

By the second half of 2024, the Honda Prologue was the second-best-selling electric SUV, trailing only the Tesla Model Y.

The momentum carried into this year, with the Prologue consistently ranking among the most popular EVs alongside the Tesla Model Y, Model 3, Chevy Equinox EV, Hyundai IONIQ 5, and Ford Mustang Mach-E.

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Thanks to policy changes under the Trump administration, including the elimination of the $7,500 tax credit at the end of September, nearly every automaker reported significantly fewer EV sales in November. Ford, Hyundai, Kia, and Toyota all reported significant EV sales declines last month, and Honda was no exception.

Honda-Prologue-EV-sales-November
Honda Prologue Elite (Source: Honda)

Honda sold just 903 Prologues in November, 86% fewer than the over 6,800 it sold the year prior. Through November, Honda sold 38,262 Prologues, which is still more than the roughly 33,000 it sold in all of 2024.

Despite the lower EV sales, Honda said “electrified” vehicles, which are mainly gas-powered hybrids, reached 30.9% of brand sales. With another 28,258 units sold last month, Honda’s electrified vehicle sales reached 385,453 through November, a new annual sales record.

Honda-Prologue-$20,000-off
The interior of the Honda Prologue (Source: Honda)

Although Honda confirmed the Acura ZDX will not return for a 2026 model year, the Prologue will remain on sale for at least another year.

The Prologue is built on GM’s Ultium platform, the same one that underpins all electric Chevy, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles.

Honda-Prologue-EV-sales-November
Honda Prologue at a Tesla Supercharger (Source: Honda)

Honda has been offering some of the most significant discounts on the Prologue, with combined savings exceeding $20,000 in some months. Even after the tax credit expired, Honda is still offering nearly $17,000 off select Prologue models.

Next year, Honda will introduce its new 0 Series electric vehicles, based on a dedicated EV platform. The first vehicle based on the platform will be an SUV in 2026, followed shortly by a sedan.

Of the over 102,000 vehicles Honda sold in the US last month, only 925 were all-electric vehicles (including the Prologue and Acura ZDX), or less than 1%. Those 0-series EVs can’t come soon enough.

As most automakers agree, the policy changes under the Trump administration led to a rush of buyers ahead of the tax credit expiration at the end of September. Despite reports claiming the credit created false demand for EVs, the market is expected to reset over the next few months.

With nearly $17,000 in savings, the Prologue is still a great deal. If you’re looking to test drive one for yourself, we can help you get started. You can use our link to find the Honda Prologue in your area.


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EcoFlow Cyber Week Sale continues up to 80% power station discounts from $75 + exclusive DELTA 3 Ultra $879 low, Lectric, more

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December 2, 2025

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EcoFlow Cyber Week Sale continues up to 80% power station discounts from + exclusive DELTA 3 Ultra 9 low, Lectric, more


Cyber Monday may technically be over, but the savings aren’t slowing down, with today’s Green Deals being led by EcoFlow’s Cyber Week Sale that is continuing to take up to 80% off power stations, complete with extra savings and free gifts – all starting from $75. We also have Lectric’s Cyber Week e-bike sale with up to $893 savings starting from $999, which is donating $250 per order to foster children in need today, specifically, as well as an exclusive $1,620 savings on EcoFlow’s DELTA 3 Ultra Portable Power Station at a new $879 low, and a bunch of other extended/updated deals from Anker SOLIX, Autel, and more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals from the holiday event that are collected together in our Black Friday/Cyber Monday Green Deals hub, which we will continue to update through the rest of the week, like yesterday’s ongoing $13,289 exclusive savings across 20 different EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X power station-centric offers, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

The official dates for Black Friday and Cyber Monday may have passed, but that doesn’t mean the savings train has pulled out of the station, as EcoFlow has launched its Cyber Week Sale with up to 80% continued savings on power stations, alongside free gifts and bonus savings using the code 25EFBFAFF at checkout. Among the offers, you’ll find the brand’s latest DELTA 3 1000 Air Portable Power Station down at $309 shipped, which comes with a FREE waterproof bag ($99 value), but sadly isn’t eligible for the extra savings code. We saw this new model launch early last month during early Black Friday sales with $200 cut from its $499 full tag price. While it’s not returning to that launch rate, if you missed out, you’re still getting the next-best price that sits only $10 higher. Head below for more on this new backup power solution and browse the entire sale lineup while it lasts through the rest of the week.

We’re seeing some slightly changed promotions during EcoFlow’s Cyber Week Sale, starting with the continued 5% extra savings you can score on many units by using the code 25EFBFAFF at checkout. From there, you will get a FREE 45W portable solar panel after spending $500, which becomes 2x 160W Bifacial portable solar panels once your order reaches $2,500. The brand is also offering an additional 10% automatic savings when buying two eligible accessories in one order, as well as the continued chance at the Lucky Draw.

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As the name implies, EcoFlow’s new DELTA 3 1000 Air power station is a lighter and more compact solution for powering devices and small appliances. It houses a 960Wh LiFePO4 battery that EcoFlow boasts to “power 99% of home-essential appliances” with a 500W steady output that can climb to 1,000W at most. You’ll have a mix of AC, Type-C, and Type-A ports for connections, complete with indicator lights for grid status when tapped in and immediately switching over power supplies when any instability is detected.

It comes with four primary means to top its own battery off, starting with two hours of charging from an AC outlet. There’s also the option to utilize up to 500W of solar input or a gas generator, as well as the usual on-the-go solution from your car’s auxiliary port (with a 500W alternator charger ramping that rate up to much faster heights).

***Note: The prices below have not had the bonus 5% savings factored in, so be sure to use the promo code 25EFBFAFF at checkout to score the absolute best prices. Some offers may not be valid.

EcoFlow’s other Cyber Week DELTA 3 1000 Air offers:

EcoFlow Cyber Week website-only deals/bundles:

EcoFlow’s better Cyber Week Sale deals at Amazon:

EcoFlow’s best Cyber Week Sale picks:

EcoFlow’s 1-2kWh Black Friday deals:

EcoFlow’s 3-6kWh Black Friday deals:

EcoFlow’s outdoor adventure power deals:

EcoFlow solar panel deals:

EcoFlow’s other add-on accessory deals:

As I mentioned among the brackets, folks who want to pick up the DELTA Pro Ultra power station can do so much cheaper and with a FREE 400W solar panel at Wellbots for $3,449, while we’ve secured up to $13,289 in exclusive savings across 20 various DELTA Pro Ultra X power station offers to new low prices starting from $174.

Lectric Cyber Week e-bike Sale promotional banner

Lectric’s Cyber Week Sale continues with up to $893 holiday e-bike bundle savings from $999

Lectric is continuing its holiday savings event with a Cyber Week Sale that is taking up to $893 off its e-bike bundles, with today (Tuesday December 2, 2025) also being dubbed “Giving Tuesday,” where $250 from each purchase is donated to Arizona foster children. Among the lineup, the most children-focused (among other uses) is the Lectric XPedition 2.0 Cargo e-bikes that come in either a 13Ah single-battery configuration with $346 in FREE gear at $1,399 shipped, the 26Ah dual-battery configuration with $744 in FREE gear at $1,799 shipped, or the 35Ah dual-battery long-range configuration with $893 in FREE gear at $1,999 shipped. To get these e-bikes with these particular bundles would run you $1,745, $2,543, and $2,892 without the savings, which are continuing the largest bundle sizes to date for one week longer.

To check out the full lineup of Lectric’s Cyber Week e-bike deals, be sure to check out our original coverage of this sale here.

EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra power station sitting in grass in front of solar panels

Get $1,620 exclusive savings on EcoFlow’s DELTA 3 Ultra 3,072Wh power station at a new $879 low

Holiday savings are still running strong, as we have secured an exclusive deal from Wellbots on EcoFlow’s DELTA 3 Ultra Portable Power Station for $879 shipped, after using the exclusive code 9TO5ECOCM120 at checkout, beating the brand’s current Cyber Week sale pricing by $220. Coming down from its $2,499 price tag, we saw this new model drop as low as $999 between its launch in late September and today. That rate is getting beaten out by the combined $1,620 exclusive markdown here, which lands it lower than ever for the best price we have tracked. You can also find new continuing lows on the DELTA Pro Ultra 400W solar bundle, as well as 20 various offers on the latest DELTA Pro Ultra X power station and bundles.

If you want to learn more about this station’s capabilities, be sure to check out our original coverage of this exclusive deal here.

EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra power station outside next to solar panels

Best Fall EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.


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National Grid taps AI to combat rising wildfire risk in the Northeast

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5 hours ago

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December 2, 2025

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National Grid taps AI to combat rising wildfire risk in the Northeast

National Grid Rhizome AI

Image: National Grid

National Grid is rolling out new AI tools to get ahead of increasing wildfire risk across the Northeast. The utility is partnering with Washington DC-based Rhizome, a grid resilience planning company, to identify and prevent potential ignition threats across its transmission and distribution networks in Massachusetts, New York, and the UK.

Rhizome’s gridFIRM (Fire Ignition Reduction and Mitigation) platform launched in July 2024. It uses AI to calculate the likelihood that utility equipment could spark a wildfire and highlights the most cost-effective ways to mitigate those risks. The system builds on Rhizome’s existing weather-driven grid-failure modeling tools that utilities are already using.

Casey Kirkpatrick, director of strategic engineering at National Grid, said, “This groundbreaking new tool will allow us to pinpoint and address risks within our transmission and distribution systems while minimizing costs for customers.”

“As we’ve seen in both the data and the destruction in recent years, wildfire risk is not a regional problem but an increasingly global one,” said Mishal Thadani, cofounder and CEO of Rhizome. “Today’s partnership with National Grid is a significant step forward in our mission to shield society from the effects of climate change through intelligent planning.”

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National Grid says using the gridFIRM platform will help it identify high-risk areas where utility assets could spark wildfires, quantify and prioritize wildfire risks across its networks, develop cost-effective prevention and response strategies, and improve overall grid-resilience planning.

While wildfires have long been associated with the West Coast, the Northeast is increasingly feeling the heat. In 2024, New York and Massachusetts saw a combined 2,626 wildfires — more than double the number from the previous year. As both the human and financial tolls rise, National Grid says that comprehensive wildfire planning is becoming a necessity for utilities and the communities they serve.

Read more: A new AI-powered platform that helps utilities reduce wildfires just got a $1M injection

If you’re looking to replace your old HVAC equipment, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable HVAC installer near you that offers competitive pricing on heat pumps, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to get a heat pump. They have pre-vetted heat pump installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions. Plus, it’s free to use!

Your personalized heat pump quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – *ad


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